New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Canada-India diplomatic crisis, the Union government on Thursday, September 21, issued an advisory to private television channels to refrain from interviewing individuals against whom there are charges of serious crimes or terrorism.
“It has come to the notice of this Ministry that a person in a foreign country against whom there are serious cases of crime including terrorism, belonging to an organisation which has been proscribed by law in India was invited for a discussion on a television channel wherein the said person made several comments/remarks which were detrimental to the sovereignty/integrity of the country, security of India, friendly relations of India with a foreign state and also had the potential of disturbing public order in the country,” the I&B ministry advisory said.
“While the Government upholds media freedom and respects its rights under the Constitution, the content telecast by TV channels must adhere to the provisions of the CTN Act, 1995, including sub section (2) of Section 20,” the advisory said.
“In the light of the above, television channels are advised to refrain from giving any platform to reports/references about and views/agenda of persons of such background including those against whom there are charges of serious crimes/terrorism and belonging to organisations which have been proscribed by law, having regard to the reasonable restrictions laid down under Article 19(2) of the Constitution and mentioned under sub-section (2) of Section 20 of the CTN Act,” the advisory said.
Centre’s advisory to private TV channels on Scribd
However, the advisory does not specify or mention which channel or person it is referring to.
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The Hindu reported, on X (formerly Twitter), that “a news channel had given platform to a wanted terrorist (US-based Gurpatwant Singh Pannu), following which the I&B Ministry has advised television channels to refrain from giving any platform to reports/references about and views/agenda of persons of such background.”